Kansas University saw another record year for research in 2004, according to a report set for release today.

KU researchers completed $274 million in research during the fiscal year that ended June 30, up 6.2 percent from the previous year. That set another record for research activity, which has more than doubled since 1997.

“Things are going really well,” said Jim Roberts, vice provost for research. “We’re pleased with how things are right now.”

Universities typically measure research expenditures rather than grants awarded because it gives a more accurate picture for research activity for a given year.

KU’s research figures were driven by a 14 percent increase in federally funded research, to $135.7 million. That includes $102 million in federal science and engineering research — an increase of 9.7 percent — and $53.2 million in training and other research, an increase of 24.4 percent.

Federal research funding is typically what rankings systems such as those done by U.S. News and World Report use when considering research. KU was 45th among public universities and 29th in life sciences research, according to the latest rankings, which were issued last year.

“Our federal numbers are really strong,” Roberts said. “I’m really tickled.”

While federal grants drove an overall increase, four other areas of KU research continued to show decline:

• State grants dropped 2.8 percent to $7.9 million. Roberts attributed the decline to the stagnant state budget.
• Nonprofit foundation research funding dropped 3.4 percent to $13.7 million.
• Funding from industry dipped 19.7 percent to $5.3 million.

“I think the easy answer there is the economy,” Roberts said. “We used to have significant funding from Sprint, for example, but that’s pretty much dried up.”

• University dollars spent on research decreased 1.6 percent to $91.8 million. Roberts attributed that decline, in part, to the state budget and less matching money required on federal grants.

The largest areas of increase came in the disciplines of pharmacy, medicine, education, natural sciences and mathematics. Among campus research centers, the Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Studies saw the largest increase, with $6.1 million more in research in 2004 than in 2003.

Roberts said new research awards were up 16 percent last fiscal year, which should mean continued increases in research expenditures. New awards last year started the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysts, which is funded by the National Science Foundation and will develop environmentally friendly chemical processes for industry, and the Health Chemical Methodologies and Library Development Center of Excellence, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health and will assemble libraries of molecules that scientists can use to develop new drugs.

Roberts said he also was optimistic because of a $40 million research facility under construction on west campus. The building should help lure additional federal funds, he said.

Building under way at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., also is spurring research growth, said Barbara Atkinson, executive vice chancellor. That includes a $57 million building funded by state bonds approved by the 2003 Kansas Legislature.

She said having the Lawrence and Medical Center campuses working together, especially on drug development, would be important for future research success.

“It’s exciting what’s happened with this level of growth we’re seeing,” she said.